Spring is Sprung!

It was a l-o-n-g, lovely winter and a record year for snow made it extra fun, but spring is finally here and even the animals seem to have 'spring fever'.

There is a large, lumbering black bear who has been making encore visits to the edge of the meadow, a lone turkey that just won't leave the new garden alone, our porcupine is back to his nocturnal snacking on the siding of the cabin in the woods, and birds and butterflies of every hue and shade are flitting around in fine, fancy form.

My lilacs, the ones I was given for Mother's Day over a decade ago, still bloom in a profusion of lavender lace and smell like heaven. I have compulsively filled the house with cuttings and can't help but be reminded that this is "Home Sweet Home" every time I open the door and step inside...

It seems like spring takes forever in coming, but like waiting for a lady to get all dressed up in her best finery -- the final reveal -- when it comes, is well worth the waiting! I just wish it would last a little longer...

A Record Year for Snow!

After the storm, comes the sun and digging out — or, more accurately, we would be digging out if we could actually find the deck and the front steps! We went out on snowshoes and couldn't find the deer and moose tracks we saw when the storm first began three days ago. We think they must be sticking to the forest trails where the snow is less deep and avoiding our meadow where there is about 5' - 6' of snow that is so powdery you just sink right in. After three days of snowfall and winter storms, it was fun in the sun today!

SNOW!? Yeah, we've got that!!

The weather around here is always a popular topic — after all, when you live in an area that boasts such a pristine and lovely natural landscape, you can't help but notice that weather is an important part of all that — whether you want to be outside in it or just sit inside and gaze out upon it.

This winter, however, the weather has been a more popular topic of conversation among us than usual. When we run into, or overhear, someone we know at the post office, the coffee shop, the general store or the petrol station, the encounter invariably goes something like this;

"So" says the first person, "how're you likin' this weather?"
"Well," says the second person, "I haven't seen this much snow at this time of year in y-e-a-r-s!"
"Yep", agrees the first person, screwing their face up in concentration, "haven't seen this much snow this time of year since back in '61 or maybe that was '64... Gonna be lots of hours spent on clearing the roads."
"But good for skiing", comments the second person.
"Yep," the first person nods in assent, "give us all something to talk about anyway."

And talking about the weather is one of our favorite things to do. We figured out years ago that talking won't change the forecast, but it is nice to know that when we experience weather this extreme -- and so extremely beautiful -- that we're not alone in our commiseration -- or our appreciation!